1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The invention relates to a drilling apparatus, more particularly to a hydraulic drilling apparatus; and a method for its use.
2. Background Art
Hydraulic drilling has long been known in the art. One method, the cavitation method, involves the production of bubbles within a liquid. The bubbles collapse upon or adjacent the surface of the material worked upon, thereby disintegrating such material. The bubbles (or cavities) may be produced by turbulence-inducing jet nozzles or by the shear effect, such as created by the vortices (cavities) produced when a high speed liquid jet penetrates relatively stagnant liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,339, to Sugino, et. al., entitled Submerged Jet Injection Nozzle, discloses divergent nozzle structure for generating the cavitation phenomenon. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,528,704, to Johnson, Jr., entitled Process for Drilling by a Cavitating Fluid Jet, discloses convergent nozzle structure for utilizing the cavitation phenomenon for drilling. U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,321, to Whaling, entitled Cavitating Jet Device, teaches a jet nozzle drilling bit wherein both nozzle shape and the shear phenomenon are used in producing cavitation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,664, to Verry, entitled Erosion of a Solid Surface with a Cavitating Liquid Jet, teaches cavitating nozzle structure employing deflectors for directing fluid radially outward from the nozzle.
Other drilling devices disclose the use of different hydraulic effects. U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,066, to Evans, entitled Rock Bit Circulation Nozzle, discloses a nozzle wherein a divergent vortex of drilling fluid is created to sweep away rock cuttings. U.S. Pat. No. 3,189,107, to Galle, entitled Flushing Passageway Closures with Reverse Pressure Rupturable Portion, discloses a drill bit with nozzle plugs to prevent detritus from clogging the bit when lowered into the hole.
Among the most common drilling devices, however, are those that use the velocity and direction of high pressure fluid to drill and otherwise shear or break up underground rock. U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,667, to Wilkes, Jr., et. al., entitled Hydraulic Drilling Apparatus and Method, teaches selective application of drilling fluid to a plurality of inclined nozzles, thereby controlling the drilling direction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,805, to Shook, et. al., entitled Hydraulic Breaker with High Pressure Water Attachment, discloses an impact tool with high pressure fluid line attached, which combination expedites the rock breaking process. U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,407, to Noren, entitled Cutters and Methods of Cutting, teaches a rock spalling process using divergent high pressure fluid jets. U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,607, to Book, entitled Apparatus for Disintegrating Materials by Means of Liquid Jets, discloses a rotary device with radially extending passages, thereby using centrifugal force to impart additional velocity to the fluid jet.
Other high pressure hydraulic drilling devices include U.S. Pat. No. 2,218,130, to Court, entitled Hydraulic Disruption of Solids, which discloses a hydraulically-turned rotor mounting nozzles thereon, and a downwardly directed spear nozzle. U.S. Pat. No. 2,720,381, to Quick, entitled Method and Apparatus for Hydraulic Reaming of Oil Wells, likewise discloses a rotatable, horizontally directed hydraulic jet for removing debris from the well. U.S. Pat. No. 4,960,176, to Loegel, et. al., entitled Device for Cutting, Drilling, or Similar Working of Rock, Ore, Concrete or the Like, discloses a nozzle head having a plurality of nozzles therein. Various motions, such as oscillatory or rotary, can be executed by the nozzle head.
Additional high pressure hydraulic drilling devices include U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,668, to Dickinson, III, et. al., entitled Hydraulic Drilling Apparatus and Method. Dickinson, III, et. al., also disclose a rotatable drill head including a plurality of nozzles variably inclined to a vertical axis. U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,586, to Turin, et. al., entitled Hydraulic Drilling Apparatus and Method, discloses a hydraulic drill head wherein sensing and directional control of nozzles is provided by controlling fluid delivery to radially directed nozzles. U.S. Pat. No. 4,050,529, to Tagirov, et. al., entitled Apparatus for Treating Rock Surrounding a Wellbore, discloses reciprocating nozzles projecting radially from the housing for perforating casing and fracturing the formation with abrasive fluid.
Lacking in the prior art considered above, however, is a hydraulic drilling apparatus with horizontally extendable nozzle arms for circumferentially enlarging a drill hole by fracturing and shearing the surrounding rock with horizontally directed high pressure fluid.